Dragon Tree

The Dragon Tree is an unusual lankmark in Brighstone, this tree which reaches over the Buddle Brook is extremely old and twisted. Estimated to be of great age it provides an irresistable challenge to climb and is a great place to visit. The tree is located at the point where the Buddle seperates into a system of waterways and races, these later rejoin and churn down Grange Chine.

Saint Tarquin of Vectisis a medieval saint famous on the isle of Wight, although in recend years knowledge of him has become sadly faded. According to legend he was a ruthless mecenary knight but having taken part in the crusades he experienced a moment of revelation and upon his return to England set about doing good deeds. The people of Brighstone (then called Brixton) had been terroised by a huge and monsterous dragon which had eaten all their children. The knight spent 30 days fasting and praying in the church of Saint Mary until God came to him and told him in a vision what he should do to rescue the people of Brighstone. He fearlessly encountered the dragon and when his lance peirced the dragon's skin it shrivelled and turned to wood trapping the beast forever. In it's dying moments it burnt him fatally and he died shortly after his sins forgiven.

His Feast day is the 3rd of September believed to be the date on which he trapped the dragon, he is supposed to have died the next day, September the 4th.Unfortunatly no portrait of Saint tarquin exists; although it is rumoured that a medieval sketch of him vanquishing the dragon in Saint Mary's Church was over painted during the Commonwealth no evidence of this has ever been found. His plant is the Oak which is the species of the Dragon Tree.